, 1887-10-15

VI ING QudfAutAuCu 6tCdmCA WAdM LuoCAuC-
tons to see that no one escaped.
A similar visit by the health officer
was made every day during the seven
days of quarantine. On the last day
the crew and passengers with their
baggage were again mustered and pas
sed in review, always at this respect
full distance, and the steamer was given a
clean bill of health and departed for her
destination. soas
All infected vessels had to go to that
port. sSuch All Inspection" said DR..
Shakespeare, "as this, is worse than nOne
at all, because the other ports admit YES
sells presenting a clear bill of health from
this. 1t is no wonder that cholera has
kept alive in Italy from 1884 to 1887, for
their quarantine arrangements are worse
han useless.
awhile cholera is undoubtedly at times a
frightfully fatal disease and is exceeding Ii
able to spread when the slightest careless
ness is practised by those in charge of
the means of checking it, yet experience
has shown that with a proper means of
prevention it is one of the easiest of all
epidemic diseases to stamp out. Fortunately
the specific cause of the disease, whether
it be the comma bacillus of Koch or some
other living agent, is exceedingly su scep-
tible to the action of destructive measures,
It is readily killed by heat, even cOnsidera-
bly, below the boiling point, and by most
Of the common disinfectants when tho
roughly applied. Indeed, it seems certain
that the gastric fluids of the healthy
stomach have the power 10 kill it. While
the practice of disinfection of the soiled
clothing and the stools of cholera patients
III Italy and Spain has been exceedingly
imperfect, yet i'll the vast majority OF cases
-. - l-.- c,A - o:~aA a. $500 -
localities entirely, and even to suddenly
cut sholt incipient epidelnics. With prop
er attention TO cleanliness of person, food,
and drink, there is absolutely no danger Of
contracting the disease while in attendance
upon the sick, as it is not cOnta gious, as
are small pOx and measles, through the air,
but only attacks a person by way of tho
digestive organs, entering with water Or
food which In some way has become cOnta-
minated by the stools which contain the
effective agents.
DIR Shakespeare made "cnltures" from the
deiecta of several Ofthe patients for the pur-
pose ofascertaining the presence or absence
in them of what is called Koch's cholera
bacillus. LII all the cases he examined
during the epidemics i'll Spain, Italy and
India, he says he always fOnnd the com
ma bacillus in the dejecla. He has never
found it except i'll cases OF cholera, aud
consequently he regards It's presence as a
sure diagnoStic Indication Of the existence
Of cholera. The culture is made by inocu-
lating a small chemical test tube contain
ing a mixture of beef broth, gelatin
and peptone. This furnishes a transpa-
rent medium very favorable to the exube-
rant growth Of most forms of bacteria,
including the comma bacillus, which is an
exceedingly minute parasitic plant. DR..
Shakespeare will add to his forthcoming
report to the government his Observable MS
on these cases. The comma bacillus null
tiplies with extraordinary rapidity.
J he result of DR.. ShakeSpeare's observa-
tions will not be made known until after
his return to Philadelphia. He says,
however, that he is convinced from what
he saw during his visit to Swinburne and
Hoffman islands that the disease which
carried off so many of the unfortunate
passengers of the Alesia was Asiatic cho-
lera.
DR.. Shakespeare again accompanied
Health Officer Smith on his; visit ofinspection
Yesterday. On. Hoffman Island they found
that Marie Giuseppe, aged thirty-six years,
and Rafaela la Mort, aged tweniy-sjx years,
showed symptoms of cholera. These i'm
migrants were apparently sound and
healthy on the preceding day. Giuseppe,
Health Officer Smith says, will probably
not live more than a few hours. la Mort,
while not so dangerously i'll as Giuseppe,
10 st;Il a very sick man.